Special Education Eligibility and Entitlement within an RtI Framework

In accordance with 23 Illinois Administrative Code 226.130, districts must use a process that determines how a child responds to scientific, research-based interventions as part of the evaluation procedures to determine special education eligibility under the category of specific learning disability (SLD). While this requirement is specific to SLD, districts also have the option of using such a process as part of the evaluation procedures for other disability categories.

The document below titled “Illinois Special Education Eligibility and Entitlement Procedures and Criteria within a Response to Intervention (RtI) Framework: A Guidance Document” is designed to provide Illinois districts and schools with a framework for using RtI to determine a student’s eligibility for and entitlement to special education services.

The “Frequently Asked Questions” (FAQ) document is a supplement and companion tool that provides additional detail and examples connected to information in the guidance document.

Originally issued in January 2010, both documents were updated in August 2012 to incorporate factors and considerations that may be unique to the needs of English Language Learners when implementing an RtI process as part of special education eligibility and entitlement.